Mob attacks on-duty doctor in Hailakandi hospital; medical fraternity demands action

Hailakandi, Sept 22: An on-duty doctor at Hailakandi’s SK Roy Civil Hospital was allegedly assaulted by a mob of 10-15 people after he was assisted by a security personnel in discharging emergency services.

The victim, Dr. Amit Sinha, was attending to patients in the hospital's emergency ward when the group reportedly dragged him out of the room and assaulted him.

The hospital’s Superintendent, Dr. Debabrata Dutta, confirmed that the incident occurred in the presence of CRPF personnel and was captured on CCTV footage.

The mob had arrived at the hospital with an individual injured in a road accident that took place in Matijuri on the night of September 17.

The patient had sustained head injuries and was experiencing respiratory difficulties. Dr. Sinha had advised oxygen therapy and other necessary treatment, but the crowd became agitated when a security guard assisted him in administering the treatment.

“One of them grabbed him by the collar, began abusing, and pushed him. This not only disrupted the doctor’s work but also hampered service delivery to other patients in the emergency department,” Dr. Dutta said.

One of the accused, Saha Alom Mazarbhuiya, has been identified, and an FIR has been lodged at a nearby police outpost. The FIR also mentions that a hospital TOP, Sukkur Choudhury, intervened and managed to rescue Dr. Sinha, sheltering him at the outpost.

The incident has sparked outrage among the medical community in the district. A member of the Hailakandi unit of the Assam Medical Service Association (AMSA) condemned the attack in a statement to The Assam Tribune and demanded swift police action. The association has warned of launching protests if prompt measures are not taken against the culprits.

Doctors at SK Roy Civil Hospital have expressed grave concern over the incident, threatening to initiate an agitation if those responsible are not booked soon.